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The Sorento changed a lot across four generations. The BL (to 2009) is body-on-frame with V6 engines. The XM (2011 to 2015) became a unibody crossover with 2.4-liter and V6 engines. The UM (2016 to 2020) added a 2.0-liter turbo and a 3.3 V6. The MQ4 (from 2021) offers 2.5-liter and 2.5 turbo engines, plus 1.6-liter turbo hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions.


Your 2021 Kia Sorento is from the fourth-generation Sorento (MQ4), which covers model years 2021–2026. It is the first model year of this generation: the platform, wiring and many procedures changed compared with the previous model, so a manual for an earlier year will not match it.
Check the model year on your VIN: on a 2021 vehicle the 10th character of the 17-digit VIN is “M”. Vehicles built for North America always carry the model year in that position; on some European or Australian vehicles it may be left unused, so in that case go by the registration papers or the build plate.
At about 5 years old, a 2021 vehicle is usually past its basic warranty. Typical jobs at this age are brakes, suspension parts, fluids, the 12V battery and diagnosing sensor faults with the factory wiring diagrams.
Same generation: 2022 Kia Sorento, 2023 Kia Sorento, 2024 Kia Sorento, 2025 Kia Sorento, 2026 Kia Sorento.
All Kia Sorento model years: 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026
2.5L I4
2.5L I4 Turbo
1.6L I4 Turbo Hybrid
1.6L I4 Turbo Plug-In Hybrid
